1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to repair and more particularly to the repair of a glass or plastic surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various apparatuses and methods have been devised for repairing glass or plastic surfaces. For transparent glass or plastic surfaces, small defects substantially detract from the appearance of the transparent member when it is used for viewing such as a windshield for a motor vehicle or aircraft. Many motor vehicle windshields are damaged by flying debris and projectiles such as small rocks and other hard materials. In addition, many damages to windshields are caused by vandals using pneumatic B-B or pellet guns which cause small fractures in the windshield surface.
There are various types of fractures to windshield which may be classified in various ways. Basically, a windshield glass surface includes a first and second plate glass member laminated to an interposed plastic member to reduce shattering upon impact during collision. A projectile striking the external glass surface of the windshield generally causes a fracture in the shape of a cone. The apex of the cone is adjacent the external surface of the windshield and the base of the cone is adjacent the intermediate plastic member of the safety glass. In some cases, the cone is void of any damaged window glass whereas in other cases the cone may be partially or substantially totally filled with the particle or particles fractured from the glass windshield. In either case, the presence of air within the damage causes refraction of light which appears as a distortion within the window glass.
In order to repair the damage, the damaged area must be filled with a hardenable material which has a refractive index substantially equal to glass. This repair material must completely fill any voids within the damage region. Any discontinuity of either the glass or the repair material will cause refraction of light thereby adding distortion to the windshield.
Many devices have been devised in the past for injecting a glass repair material into a damage and for applying alternate vacuum and pressure in an attempt to completely fill the void of the damaged area. Some of the prior art devices incorporated a jig which was securable to the windshield through suction cups for positioning a syringe or like device over the damage in the windshield. Pressure from the syringe attempted to force the glass repair material into the damage. Others in the prior art used a syringe for providing alternate vacuum and pressure in an attempt to remove all gas from the damage and the glass repair material. Unfortunately, none of the prior art devices have accomplished the desired goal. Many of these devices cause extreme pressure on the glass windshield and in some cases cause a small damage to spread necessatiating the replacement of the entire windshield. In other cases, the syringe for injecting or for providing the vacuum and pressure was incapable of applying the vacuum and pressure effectively in order to accomplish the desired goal. Although the effective pressure was insufficient, the force exerted on the windshield was extremely high raising the ever present danger of damaging the windshield beyond repair. In most of these prior devices, a seal had to be formed between the syringe tip and the damaged area of the windshield. Generally, a resilient material was used for this seal which also required extreme pressure to properly seal the syringe to the damaged area.
Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the glass repair art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for repairing a damage to a glass surface incorporating a substantially flat body member made of a transparent and flexible or rigid material such as glass or plastic which is glued to the glass surface through an intermediate disposable member having a central cut out region.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for repairing a damage to a glass surface wherein the combination of the body member and the intermediate member forms a cavity about the damage enabling the glass repair material to be inserted within the cavity to cover the damage in the glass surface.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for repairing a damge to a glass surface including alternate vacuum and pressure applied to the cavity for forcing the glass repair material into the damage while maintaining the pressure at less than fifty pounds per square inch.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for repairing a damage to a glass surface utilizing relatively simple materials with a superior process for repairing a damage to a glass surface.
A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for repairing a damage to a glass surface wherein the intermediate member is disposable for removing the body member from the glass surface.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for repairing a damage to a glass surface which has superior results than heretofore obtained by the prior art apparatuses and methods.
Another object of this invention is to repair glass without incurring or causing further damage to the object being repaired.
Other objects and a fuller understanding of this invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the description and the claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.